Thermal modeling of millimeter wave damage to the primate cornea at 35 GHz and 94 GHz

Recent data on damage to the primate cornea from exposure to millimeter wave radiation are interpreted in terms of a simple thermal model. The measured temperature increases during the exposures (duration 1-5 s, 35 or 94 GHz, 2-7 W cm(-2)) agree with the model within the variability of the data. The thresholds for damage to the cornea (staining of the corneal epithelium by fluorescein and corneal edema) correspond to temperature increases of about 20degreesC at both irradiation frequencies. Within the limits of the one-dimensional model, thresholds for thermal damage to the cornea can be predicted for a range of exposure conditions.